Vuna Initiative: Rebuilding Fiji

Hi and Bula Vinaka.

I'm Nina Vodo. My mother is the late Adi Vulase Vodo, who is the daughter of the late Turaga Na Sau Tui Vuna (Paramount Chief of Vuna), Ratu Ilaitia Makaba Waqanivalu O.B.E and Bulou Elena Elenoa. Roots stem from Tokatoka Nonone, Mataqali Vusaratu, Yavu O Nasima, District of Vuna, Southern Taveuni, Fiji.

It breaks my heart to be at this position of starting this campaign, but without much further ado, it is something that needs to be done. Although I now reside in Silver Spring, M.D, Vuna is very much a part of who I am. Not only did my grandfather help build Vuna, where my late mother was raised, but my mother's siblings and extended family still lives in Vuna. This is why I am inclined to raise funds for what has recently happened to this special place.

Vuna, among many other parts of Fiji, recently suffered tremendously through the wrath of category 5 Tropical Cyclone Winston (TCW). This resulted in massive destruction in Vuna, such as the loss of homes, schools, crops, and livelihood  for not only my family, but thousands of other people.

Aerial shot of Vuna, Taveuni. Photo credit: NZ Defense Force.
Vuna District School. Photo credit: Nanise Volau  
House destroyed in Vuna. Photo credit: Nanise Volau 

Due to the high velocity of TCW winds with speeds up to 200mph, Vuna was wiped clean. This included my grandparents' house where my mother grew up in and where I also stayed during one of my most recent visits, as well as homes of numerous other immediate relatives. The devastating cyclone has left my beautiful people homeless and displaced for the moment, with just the clothes on their backs. This has resulted in extremely limited resources for food, clean water, sanitation and shelter. Sources from within the immediate family in Taveuni, my mother's eldest sister Adi Yalava and brother Michael Radrodro, have confirmed assesment of the damage and identified areas where help is most needed at this time. Detailed below are what is urgently required: 

Food and clean drinking water
First Aid materials
Tents as shelters
Clothing
Medication
Sanitation
School materials - books, bags, pencils, etc.

Amongst the list above, what is absolutely needed right now is FOOD!

This campaign's goal is to raise $10,000 USD, which equates to about $21,000 FJD, an amount that will certainly make a generous impact on these peoples' immediate relief efforts. 

Although there is an abundance of foreign aid coming to Fiji,  my family in Vuna confirms that food is still scarce and is quickly running out. Their crops have been destroyed and they cannot even grow anything to sustain themselves at the moment. The grocery store on the island has opened back up, and because these peoples' jobs, along with everything else has been destroyed, they need our help. The money raised here will be forwarded directly to Taveuni Island, where canned foods, meat, and vegetables can be bought. There is an operating Western Union on the island, which serves as the quickest way possible to get these funds into their hands. My uncle, Mikaele Radrodro, is the operating man we have in Vuna. He will be able to give us specific account as to how the money is being spent, since he's working with the Vuna committee to provide help and restore normalcy. So rest assured, your donations will be well accounted for.   

The goal is to help the people of Vuna help themselves and get back on their feet expeditiously, by providing them with the basic necessities we would all need to survive. Furthermore, I would like to see and support what Save the Children Fiji has initiated in creating a safe space for children during this difficult time. This will allow these young ones to be removed from spaces where these traumatic experiences are being discussed during this time of emergency. 

Of course, what matters most is that they still have their precious lives. Yet they still manage to smile through such an unfortunate ordeal, holding true to the spirit of Fiji. The cyclone did not break us. In fact, it only brought us, as a nation, closer together to work towards rebuilding our beloved nation. This project will be a two-fold approach. One is to meet their immediate needs during this state of emergency, the second phase
aims to help them get back to the rythm of everyday life.

The money raised in this emergency relief project will go to phase I. My family, myself, and the people of Vuna  will be forever grateful to you for anything you're able to donate. Every penny counts and time is of the essence.

Thank you and Vinaka Vakalevu.

Nina